Warrior's Charge Returns March 25 in Oaklawn Allowance

If Warrior's Charge wants to stick around for major stakes races next month at Oaklawn Park, he'll have to make his case March 25 for co-owners Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables and trainer Brad Cox.

Warrior's Charge, a two-time grade 3 winner, will make his 2021 debut in the eighth race, a mile allowance for older horses that carries a hefty $107,000 purse. The speedy 5-year-old son of Munnings  hasn't started since finishing eighth in the Ack Ack Stakes (G3) Sept. 26 at Churchill Downs.

"It's obviously the starting point for the year," said Clay Sanders, a founding partner in Ten Strike. "Probably not exactly the distance or race we wanted, but if we could get a stakes race at Oaklawn the two options were the Oaklawn Mile or the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). If we want to consider the Oaklawn Handicap, we didn't want to run him not having a prep race. Going a mile and an eighth off the bench is pretty tough. We'll give him a start and kind of see where he is fitness-wise. He's not 100% cranked, but we'll see where we're at."

The $400,000 Oaklawn Mile is April 10. The $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) is April 17. 

Warrior's Charge was among Oaklawn's leading two-turn older horses last year after winning the  Razorback Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles and finishing second in the Oaklawn Handicap at nine furlongs. Following a subpar performance in the one-mile Ack Ack, Warrior's Charge went to Florida horseman Paul Sharp for a break. Sharp's farm is the go-to vacation spot for horses connected to noted bloodstock agent Liz Crow, also Ten Strike's stable manager. Ten Strike privately purchased then-unraced Warrior's Charge from his breeder, Al Shaquab Racing, after Crow watched the horse train at McKathan Brothers Training Center in Florida.

In 12 career starts, the consistent Warrior's Charge has compiled a 5-1-3 record and bankrolled $836,310. He also finished fourth in the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1)—beaten 2 1/2 lengths by War of Will —at Pimlico Race Course and fourth in the 2020 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1)—beaten two lengths by Vekoma —July 4 at Belmont Park. Warrior's Charge also captured last year's Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) via disqualification at Monmouth Park.

Warrior's Charge rejoined Cox's Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots division in January and has had seven published works there since Feb. 5, including three five-furlong moves this month. He arrived Monday in Hot Springs.

Memphis, Tenn.-based Ten Strike offers fractional ownership on its syndicate side and "probably 35 to 38" have a share in Warrior's Charge, Sanders said. The majority of the owners are from Arkansas, he added.

Sanders, a Mountain Home, Ark., native, said adding a grade 1 victory to the résumé of Warrior's Charge is a goal this year since it would boost his value as a stallion prospect. 

"The tricky part with this horse is that probably a mile and a sixteenth is like his optimal distance," Sanders said. 

Warrior's Charge is the 8-5 program favorite Thursday, with Florent Geroux named to ride from post 6. Also entered are Mailman Money, My Sixth Sense, Home Base, Guest Suite, and Final Jeopardy.

Post time is 4:40 p.m. CT.